Flushing apparatus



Nov. 2 1926.

1,605,344 L. H. HANDY FLUSHING APPARATUS Fi led June 5. 1925 I TTIMNEYS Patented Nov. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LUCIEN I-I. HANDY, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNDRTO HANDY SELF CLEANING FLUSH VALVE CO., OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA A CORPORATION. OIE DELA- WARE.

FLUSI-IING APPARATUS.

Application filed June 3,

This invention relates to toilet flushing apparatus of that type which comprises a valve mechanism with a balancing fluid chamber, upon the release of the pressure in which the outlet valve opens for the flushing operation, and gradually closes again, thereby determining the period of flush whichis ended bythe restoration of the fluid pressure in the balancing chamber. Apparatus of this general character is shown in my Patent No. 1,292,318, dated Jan. 21, 1919, and Patent No. 1,440,827, dated J an. 2, 1923, and the present invention is in the nature of an improvement upon the apparatus therein shown, and has for an object the provision of valve mechanism of simpler construction and fewer parts.

The inventionpossesses other advantageous features, some of which with the foregoing will be set forth at length in the following description where I shall outline in full that form of the invention which I have selected for illustrationin the drawings accompanying and forming'part of the present specifications. In said drawings-I have shown several forms of device embodying my invention, butit is to be understood that I do not limit myself to such forms, since the invention as set forth in the claims may be embodied in a plurality of other forms.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section with parts shown in elevation of apparatus embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig.1; and v Fig. 4 is a vertical section with parts shown in elevation of a modified form of apparatus embodying my invention.

In the drawings a casing 1 is shown having an inner chamber 2. An inlet 3 connects with the chamber 2 at one side near the bottom thereof and an outlet 4 isprovided in the bottom of the chamber. The top of the casing 1 is open and is provided with an annular externally threaded flange 5 which has a circular groove 6 formed on its 1925. Serial No. 34,579.

topsurface. The wall opposite that in which'the inlet 3 lies is provided with a bypass 7 which by-pass connects at its upper end with the groove 6,as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and at its lower end with the outlet 4. The top of the casing 1 is closed by a head Swhich is suitably'threaded to interengage the threaded flange 5.- Heretofore, as shown in my patents above referred to, it has been necessary to provide an opening in the head 8 to register with the by-pass 7 which required the careful positioning of the head 8. In suchcases the head8 was provided with a port which was placed in register with the by-pass andspecial means'to posi tion the same, such as dowelpins, were used. By this-arrangement the head could not be screwed'on to the casing and additional means, such-as a special screw cap, were necessary to hold the head on the casing. Such an arrangement required a number of parts which had'to be carefully fitted and which required considerable time in assembling. As above indicated, an ob ject of the present invention is to provide a simple construction and a novel arrangement whereby these diificulties are eliminated. The head 8 is provided with an annular channel or passage 9 adapted to fit over the groove 6 of the casing 1 when threaded in position thereon, and has a central opening or port 10 communicating with the channel 9 and leading to the interior of the casing 1. Fromthis it willbe seen that the head '8 may be screwed on to the casing 1 and that in any position the by-pass .7 will be in communication with the'port 10 without the necessity of any preliminary adjusting. It is obvious that the same result may be accomplished by omitting the groove 6. It will thus be seen that the head 8 may readily be placed in position on the casing 1, that no positioning means are necessary or special efforts required to have the by-pass 7 register with any passages in the head and that the head itself will be The desirable features and benefits of this arrangement will he better appreciated by comparing the same with that shown 1n my previous patents above mentioned.

The port leads to a sleeve 11 removably positioned within the chamber 2 and forming a cylinder therein and is controlled from below by a pressure relief valve 12, the stem 13 of which extends upwardly within the head 8 through a packing gland 1e: and is provided its upper end with a head 1:3. The stem 13 is surrounded by helical springs 16 and 1.7. The spring 16 bears upper end against. the lower side of and at its lower end against a disc jaeent the packing element 14. The sp- 17 also rests on the'disc 18 at its lower cud and acts against a plate 19 loosely positioned on top of the cap or head 15. A handie 20 having a rounded surface in contactwith the upper side of the plate 19 is held thereon by ring 21 which is secured to the head 8 by inter-engaging threads 22. From this it will be seen that the relief valve 12 may be opened by moving the handle 20 in any direction from its vertical position and that the valve 12 will be quickly restored to its closed position through the action of said spring, the spring 17 acting to restore the handle 20 to its vertical position and the spring 16 acting to close the valve in a manner readily understood.

The lower end of the casing 1 is formed with a seat 23 for a main valve 2 1 which controls the outlet 4: and normally cuts off the outlet from communication with the inlet 3. The main valve 2-1 has a stem 25 which is connected with the valve by a swivel joint at 26. The stem 25 carries a piston 27 within the cylinder 11. The main valve 2 1 is provided with a downwardly projecting sleeve 28 fitting into the outlet 4; and having large openings 29 in its walls which communicate with the outlet 4. The cylinder 11 is sufficiently smaller than the chamber 2 to leave an annular space indicated at 30 between the exterior of itself and the wall of chamber 2. The cylinder is positioned within the casing by means of an arcuate shoulder 31 formed within the chamber 2 which supports the same and by a collar 5 at the top of the casing which closely lit the cylinder. The cylinder is held down by the head 8. The cylinder 11 is provided with a small opening 32 connecting the interior of the same with the space 30. Preferably the cylinder is provided with a second opening 82 of a different size and located at the opposite end of the cylinder at a point where it will be inoperative. By this arrangement the position of the cylinder 11 may be reversed so as to place the opening 82 in operative position and the opening. 32 in inoperative position whereby, due to their different sizes, different speeds of operation of the main valve may be secured. The piston 27 is provided with an adjustable stop 33 adapted to contact with the relief valve 12 in Fig. 1 or a screw 12 in Fig. 4;, when the piston rises, and thereby limit the stroke of the piston and further define the flushing period.

In view of the foregoing detailed description of a construction embodying my invention the operation of the same will be readily understood from a brief description thereof. Water enters the chamber 2 through the inlet 3 and the interior of the cylinder 11. is filled by water flowing through the opening32. The valve 24L is thus held in its closed position by water within the chamber 2 and within cylinder 11. In order to open valve 24: the handle 20 is reciprocated whereby the valve 12 is opened and the interior of cylinder 11 is placed in communication with the passage 9 through the port 10. ll hen the port 10 is opened the piston is moved upwardly by the water within the casing 1 very rapidly and the water from within the cylinder 11 to the port 10, to the passage 9 and through by-pass 7 to the outlet l, and upon the handle 20 being released the valve 12 is rapidly restored to its closed position through the action of spring-16. The inlet 3 is now connected with the outlet l. As the water flows around the outer surface of the cylinder 11 the interior of the cylinder is slowly filled through the opening 32 and the valve 2 1 is gradually restored to its closed position, the speed of this operation depending upon the size of the opening .32.

In Fig. 4 1 have shown a modified construction embodying my invention in which the relief valve is shown as being independ ent of the head 8. It will be observed that in this construction the head 8 is provided with the passage 9 communicating with the by-pass 7 as described in connection with Fig. 1, but the valve 10 and its associated mechanism is omitted. In this case a relief valve having mechanism as described in connection with Fig. 1 is positioned to control the by-pass 7 at a point between the head 8 and the outlet 4.

I claim:

1. Flushing apparatus as described, comprising a casing formed with a chamber adapted to contain fluid under pressure and a removable sleeve adapted to be reversibly positioned in said chamber.

2, Flushing apparatus as described com prising a casing formed with a chamber adapted to contain fluid under pressure, and a sleeve having apertures adjacent each end positioned in said chamber, said sleeve being reversible in said chamber to render said apertures alternatively operable.

3. Flushing apparatus as described comtures, said sleeve being adapted to be reversely positioned to render said means effective on the other of said apertures.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

LUCIEN H. HANDY. 

